{"id":150,"date":"2025-03-14T19:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T19:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/?p=150"},"modified":"2025-03-24T18:33:55","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T18:33:55","slug":"michael-j-mccarthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/?p=150","title":{"rendered":"Michael J. McCarthy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-post-date__modified-date wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-03-24T18:33:55+00:00\">March 24, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Life and War of Independence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael McCarthy was a native of County Wexford in southeast Ireland, born in the late 19th century in the Tullycanna area of Ballymitty. He became active in the Irish independence movement as a young man during the War of Independence (1919\u20131921). By October 1920, the IRA in County Wexford had reorganized into North and South Wexford Brigades as the conflict with British forces intensified\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/brigade-activities.militaryarchives.ie\/brigade\/south-wexford-brigade-3-eastern-division\/#:~:text=1%20Battalion%3A%20Unit%20strength%20on,all%20ranks%2C%20and%20the%20strength\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). McCarthy served in the South Wexford Brigade of the IRA, which grew rapidly in membership during this period\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/wexfordcountyarchive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/War-of-Independence-in-County-Wexford.pdf#:~:text=and%20Ellen%20Keegan%20and%20M%C3%A1ire,1921%20and%201922%20under%20O%2FC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). He proved himself an able volunteer, rising through the ranks. By the time of the July 1921 truce that ended the War of Independence, McCarthy was the <strong>Vice Officer Commanding (Vice O\/C)<\/strong> of the brigade\u2019s 3rd Battalion (covering areas like Murrintown, Bridgetown, Broadway, Ballymitty, and Tagoat in South Wexford)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/brigade-activities.militaryarchives.ie\/brigade\/south-wexford-brigade-3-eastern-division\/#:~:text=as%20follows%3A%20Gusseranne%2C%20Campile%2C%20Ramsgrange%2C,Ballymurrin%2C%20Castlebridge%2C%20Taghmon%20and%20Glynn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). In this role he was second-in-command of the battalion, serving under Commandant Michael Radford, who was then the battalion O\/C (Officer Commanding). This wartime experience and leadership position set the stage for McCarthy\u2019s prominent role in the Irish Civil War that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Irish Civil War and Military Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in late 1921, it split the IRA and the Irish nationalist movement. In County Wexford, the majority of IRA members \u2013 especially in the South Wexford Brigade \u2013 opposed the Treaty and took the anti-Treaty side\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=%28hereafter%20IRA%29%20activity,Treaty%20position\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). Michael McCarthy was among these anti-Treaty republicans. As of June 1922, he remained the vice-commander of the 3rd Battalion, South Wexford Brigade, which was part of the IRA\u2019s 3rd Eastern Division. Civil War erupted at the end of June 1922. In the early <strong>\u201cconventional\u201d phase<\/strong> of the war that summer, McCarthy and his comrades seized key positions in Wexford. The anti-Treaty IRA, bolstered by fighters from outside the county (including men like Ernie O\u2019Malley and Se\u00e1n Lemass who had escaped Dublin)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=The%20uneasy%20peace%20between%20the,IRA%20and%20one%20National%20Army\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>), took control of virtually all of County Wexford\u2019s towns in July 1922. They occupied Wexford Town, Enniscorthy, and New Ross, even forcing the surrender of pro-Treaty (National Army) garrisons at some posts\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=including%20Ernie%20O%E2%80%99Malley%20and%20Paddy,IRA%20and%20one%20National%20Army\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>\u200b) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Lambert%E2%80%99s%20column%20on%20the%20Wexford,five%20troops%20were%20wounded%2C%20one\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). However, this success was short-lived. Within days, a large Free State relief column arrived from Dublin with superior numbers and equipment. By 6\u20138 July 1922, National Army forces retook Enniscorthy, Wexford town, and other strongholds, as the outgunned IRA units retreated to the countryside\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=On%206%20July%2C%20a%20large,brought%20to%20an%20abrupt%20end\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/neverfeltbetter.wordpress.com\/2021\/05\/04\/irelands-wars-the-conventional-civil-war-in-wexford\/#:~:text=before%20a%20larger%20force%20of,over%2030%20IRA%20men%20captured\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). McCarthy was among those who \u201cmelted away\u201d from the towns to begin a guerrilla campaign once conventional defense became impossible\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/neverfeltbetter.wordpress.com\/2021\/05\/04\/irelands-wars-the-conventional-civil-war-in-wexford\/#:~:text=The%20same%20day%2C%20Ferns%20was,over%2030%20IRA%20men%20captured\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the remainder of 1922 and into 1923, Michael McCarthy served as a guerrilla commander in South Wexford. Now effectively the field commander of the 3rd Battalion\u2019s active units, he helped direct hit-and-run operations against Free State forces. The IRA\u2019s <strong>\u201cguerrilla phase\u201d<\/strong> in Wexford saw frequent sabotage of infrastructure \u2013 roads were trenched and rail bridges destroyed \u2013 to hamper Free State troop movements\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Driven%20from%20the%20towns%2C%20during,of%20the%20county%2C%20particularly%20in\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). Ambushes of National Army patrols became common, especially in the rural south of the county where republican resistance was strongest. In late July 1922, just weeks after losing the towns, McCarthy\u2019s men and other local IRA units struck back with a notable success: on 24 July, a flying column under Capt. Bob Lambert derailed and ambushed a Dublin-bound military train at <strong>Killurin<\/strong>, killing three Free State soldiers and wounding others\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Lambert%E2%80%99s%20column%20on%20the%20Wexford,five%20troops%20were%20wounded%2C%20one\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). They also forced the surrender of the National Army outpost at Ferrycarrig during that attack, seizing a cache of arms\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Lambert%E2%80%99s%20column%20on%20the%20Wexford,five%20troops%20were%20wounded%2C%20one\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). This victory boosted rebel morale. Throughout autumn 1922, South Wexford guerrillas kept up pressure \u2013 October 1922 was especially intense, with multiple ambushes and even a large skirmish at Ferrycarrig that killed four National Army troops\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Fig.%202%C2%A0Taylorstown%20Viaduct%20,Wexford%20County%20Archive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). These engagements, in which McCarthy played a planning or support role, demonstrated the continued IRA resolve in Wexford even as the war turned against them nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <strong>March 1923<\/strong>, the war\u2019s violence hit close to home for McCarthy and the South Wexford Brigade. Free State authorities executed three prominent IRA prisoners from the brigade \u2013 <strong>James Parle, John Creane, and Patrick Hogan<\/strong> \u2013 by firing squad at Wexford Jail on 13 March\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=executed%20by%20firing%20squad%20at,The%20official%20account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>. This was a reprisal for IRA actions and sent shock-waves through the local republican community. In response, some of McCarthy\u2019s comrades (led by Bob Lambert) abducted and executed three National Army soldiers two weeks later in revenge\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=executed%20by%20firing%20squad%20at,The%20official%20account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>), further escalating the cycle of violence. McCarthy had to navigate this brutal environment while keeping his unit intact. By the spring of 1923, the IRA in Wexford was struggling: many fighters were jailed or on the run, arms and supplies were low, and public support had waned due to the hardships imposed by the guerrilla campaign\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=The%20commandeering%20of%20supplies%20from,government%20as%20the%20war%20progressed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=overhaul%20of%20the%20ineffectual%20command,ASU%29%20areas%20of%20operations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). The National Army\u2019s crackdown intensified \u2013 mobile columns swept through South Wexford making widespread arrests of republican suspects\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=resistance%20in%20the%20county,ASU%29%20areas%20of%20operations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>end of the Civil War<\/strong> came in May 1923 when the IRA leadership called a ceasefire and \u201cdumped arms.\u201d In County Wexford, active operations ceased, though not all fighters were immediately captured. Tragically, Michael McCarthy\u2019s commanding officer, Michael Radford, did not live to see the war\u2019s end \u2013 Radford had been one of the IRA men who escaped from Wexford Barracks in a jailbreak on 2 May 1923, only to be shot dead by Free State troops about a month later in June\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/militarypensions.wordpress.com\/2021\/11\/25\/dispatches-dates-and-die-hard-propaganda-the-secret-activities-of-catherine-english\/#:~:text=written%20by%20John%20Radford%20referring,their%20other%20son%20Bernard%20Radford\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>. With Radford gone, McCarthy was left as the senior surviving officer of the 3rd Battalion. He assumed command as the <strong>O\/C of the 3rd Battalion, South Wexford Brigade<\/strong> in the final weeks of the conflict. McCarthy led his battalion in laying down arms following the ceasefire, avoiding any further needless loss of life. Unlike some of his comrades, he was not executed or killed \u2013 <strong>Michael McCarthy survived the Civil War<\/strong>. He was likely <strong>interned<\/strong> for a short period (many anti-Treaty fighters were held in camps through late 1923), but records suggest he soon returned to civilian life as hostilities drew to a close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family, Later Life and Legacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael McCarthy came from a rural Wexford family originally from Tullycanna in Ballymitty, and his home address was <strong>originally at <\/strong>Tullycanna. His mother was Margaret Carthy nee Wallace, daughter of Michael Wallace also of Ballymitty and Mary Wallace nee Staunton of Gardamus Little, Murintown <strong>,<\/strong> in the parish of Mayglass. His father was Andrew Carthy who was a tradesman working as a saddler throughout his long life., who married Margaret Wallace. This farmhouse (from which McCarthy would later correspond) lay in the heart of the 3rd Battalion\u2019s territory in south County Wexford. Like many former IRA officers, he initially kept a low profile as the new Irish Free State stabilized. In the 1930s, as the Irish government established pension programs for War of Independence and Civil War veterans, McCarthy applied for an <strong>Irish military service pension<\/strong> to recognize his service. In a 1935 letter to the Army Pensions Board, written from St. Bricin\u2019s Hospital in Dublin, McCarthy outlined his role during the war \u2013 noting that he had been <strong>Vice O\/C and later Battalion O\/C<\/strong> of the 3rd Battalion, South Wexford Brigade \u2013 and provided maps and lists of his unit\u2019s members in support of his pension claim\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\">source<\/a>). He signed this letter as \u201cMichael McCarthy, late O\/C 3rd Battalion,\u201d proudly reaffirming his command role. McCarthy did eventually receive a service pension, which helped support him in later years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael McCarthy\u2019s legacy endures through both historical and familial channels. His leadership in the tumultuous years of the Civil War made him a respected figure among the \u201cOld IRA\u201d of County Wexford. He and his comrades ensured that the republican ideal remained alive in Wexford during the Civil War, at great personal risk. Several of McCarthy\u2019s battalion comrades gave their lives \u2013 men like Bernie Radford, Con McCarthy, and others \u2013 and McCarthy took care to preserve their memory in the records he submitted. His family heritage has become a subject of interest in local genealogy; for instance, the McCarthy family story (including Michael\u2019s role) is featured on the Gardamus.com genealogy project, which takes its name from the McCarthy homestead. Today, researchers and descendants look back on Michael McCarthy\u2019s life as a window into the experiences of an IRA battalion commander in the Irish Civil War. His service is well-documented in Irish military archives, including nominal rolls and pension files\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\">source<\/a>), and his name finds honor among those who fought for Irish self-determination. <strong>Michael McCarthy\u2019s story \u2013 from local volunteer to battalion commander \u2013 remains an integral part of County Wexford\u2019s revolutionary history and family lore.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file aligncenter\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of 3rd Eastern Div South Wex Brig 3rd Batt.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-69f91893-84f4-4df4-b6d0-c930e1b008cb\" href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\">3rd Eastern Div South Wex Brig 3rd Batt<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-69f91893-84f4-4df4-b6d0-c930e1b008cb\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"159\" src=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-768x995.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd.jpg 935w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"691\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter1-691x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter1-691x1024.jpg 691w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter1-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter1.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"1006\" data-id=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter2.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter2-208x300.jpg 208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"636\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"156\" src=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter3-636x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter3-636x1024.jpg 636w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter3-186x300.jpg 186w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/letter3.jpg 687w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"884\" data-id=\"155\" src=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/map-1024x884.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/map-1024x884.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/map-300x259.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/map-768x663.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/map.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timeline of Key Events in Michael McCarthy\u2019s Military Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1917\u20131920:<\/strong> McCarthy joins the Irish Volunteers\/IRA in County Wexford during the War of Independence. By late 1920 the South Wexford Brigade is formed, and he becomes Adjutant then Vice-Commandant of the brigade\u2019s 3rd Battalion (\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/brigade-activities.militaryarchives.ie\/brigade\/south-wexford-brigade-3-eastern-division\/#:~:text=1%20Battalion%3A%20Unit%20strength%20on,all%20ranks%2C%20and%20the%20strength\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/brigade-activities.militaryarchives.ie\/brigade\/south-wexford-brigade-3-eastern-division\/#:~:text=as%20follows%3A%20Gusseranne%2C%20Campile%2C%20Ramsgrange%2C,Ballymurrin%2C%20Castlebridge%2C%20Taghmon%20and%20Glynn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>July 1921:<\/strong> The Truce with Britain finds McCarthy serving as Vice O\/C of the 3rd Battalion under Commandant Michael Radford. The battalion has about 159 members at this time (growing to over 300 by mid-1922)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/brigade-activities.militaryarchives.ie\/brigade\/south-wexford-brigade-3-eastern-division\/#:~:text=as%20follows%3A%20Gusseranne%2C%20Campile%2C%20Ramsgrange%2C,Ballymurrin%2C%20Castlebridge%2C%20Taghmon%20and%20Glynn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>June 1922:<\/strong> Outbreak of the Irish Civil War. McCarthy and most of the South Wexford IRA reject the Anglo-Irish Treaty and take the anti-Treaty side\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=%28hereafter%20IRA%29%20activity,Treaty%20position\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). He remains second-in-command of his battalion as IRA forces seize control of Wexford\u2019s towns in early July 1922\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=including%20Ernie%20O%E2%80%99Malley%20and%20Paddy,IRA%20and%20one%20National%20Army\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>July 1922:<\/strong> Free State (National Army) columns recapture Enniscorthy, Wexford town, and New Ross within the first week of July, forcing McCarthy and the IRA to retreat and begin guerrilla warfare \u200b(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=On%206%20July%2C%20a%20large,brought%20to%20an%20abrupt%20end\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). On 24 July, McCarthy\u2019s comrades in Lambert\u2019s column ambush a troop train at Killurin, killing 3 National Army soldiers (\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Lambert%E2%80%99s%20column%20on%20the%20Wexford,five%20troops%20were%20wounded%2C%20one\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). McCarthy helps coordinate ongoing guerrilla operations through late 1922.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Oct\u2013Dec 1922:<\/strong> Intensification of the guerrilla campaign in South Wexford \u2013 attacks on rail lines, roads, and patrols continue (\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=Fig.%202%C2%A0Taylorstown%20Viaduct%20,Wexford%20County%20Archive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). The National Army in Wexford struggles to contain the IRA. McCarthy is actively leading flying column activities of the 3rd Battalion during this period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jan 1923:<\/strong> The 3rd Battalion\u2019s Active Service Unit is ambushed at Spencerstown. McCarthy\u2019s close comrade <strong>Bernard Radford<\/strong> and another Volunteer <strong>Cornelius \u201cCon\u201d McCarthy<\/strong> are killed in action (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=While%20the%20IRA%20continued%20to,deaths%2C%20the%20column%20merged%20with\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). This is a major blow to McCarthy\u2019s unit, which subsequently merges with another column to continue fighting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>13 March 1923:<\/strong> Free State forces execute three IRA prisoners from South Wexford (Parle, Creane, Hogan) in Wexford Jail \u200b(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=executed%20by%20firing%20squad%20at,The%20official%20account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). McCarthy\u2019s battalion suffers from low morale and manpower as the war nears its end.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Late April 1923:<\/strong> IRA Chief of Staff Frank Aiken calls a ceasefire and orders units to dump arms. McCarthy consents to the order; active operations in Wexford halt. In May or June 1923, his commanding officer Michael Radford is killed by Free State troops\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/militarypensions.wordpress.com\/2021\/11\/25\/dispatches-dates-and-die-hard-propaganda-the-secret-activities-of-catherine-english\/#:~:text=written%20by%20John%20Radford%20referring,their%20other%20son%20Bernard%20Radford\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>). McCarthy, now the senior officer, formally takes command of the 3rd Battalion as it disbands. He avoids execution or death, and is likely interned briefly before release in late 1923.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1935:<\/strong> Michael McCarthy applies for an Irish Military Service Pension. In a July 1935 letter from <strong>Gardamus, Ballycogley<\/strong>, he provides the Army Pensions Board with a detailed account of his service and confirms he was <strong>O\/C of the 3rd Battalion, South Wexford Brigade<\/strong> by the end of the Civil War\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\">source<\/a>). He is living in Wexford and dealing with health issues (hospitalized) while pursuing his pension.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Later Years:<\/strong> McCarthy lives out a quiet life in County Wexford. He receives a service pension for his contributions to Ireland\u2019s independence struggle. His family and local historians preserve his memory. <em>(Exact date of his death is not readily documented, but his legacy lives on through archival records and the genealogy of the McCarthy family.)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sources:<\/strong> Irish Military Archives (Military Service Pensions Collection, Brigade Nominal Rolls)(<a href=\"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3rd-Eastern-Div-South-Wex-Brig-3rd-Batt.pdf\">source<\/a>); <em>The Past<\/em> (Journal of the U\u00ed Cinsealaigh Historical Society) \u2013 Aaron \u00d3 Maonaigh, <em>\u201cWexford\u2019s Civil War Dead: A Statistical Survey\u201d<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=While%20the%20IRA%20continued%20to,deaths%2C%20the%20column%20merged%20with\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>); University College Cork, <em>Irish Civil War Fatalities Project<\/em> (Wexford section)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=The%20uneasy%20peace%20between%20the,IRA%20and%20one%20National%20Army\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)\u200b (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.ie\/en\/theirishrevolution\/irish-civil-war-fatalities-project\/explore-the-fatalities-map\/civil-war-fatalities-wexford\/#:~:text=executed%20by%20firing%20squad%20at,The%20official%20account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>); and local history works. These records and accounts provide a well-documented picture of Michael McCarthy\u2019s life and military service in Co. Wexford.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Early Life and War of Independence Michael McCarthy was a native of County Wexford in southeast Ireland, born in the late 19th century in the Tullycanna area of Ballymitty. He became active in the Irish independence movement as a young man during the War of Independence (1919\u20131921). By October 1920, the IRA in County Wexford [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=150"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":233,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150\/revisions\/233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardamus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}